Right now, I’m absolutely exhausted from a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend. It’s time for bed. All the lights are out in my apartment. It’s quiet and warm. And I can’t seem to close my eyes without posting a blog entry.
That’s because at the beginning of November, I set out to blog everyday for the entire month, and apparently my inner voice has not gotten the memo that it’s December 1.
That’s just fine by me. I’ve rediscovered the need to write. My November challenge did its job.
Blogging everyday wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be, but out of the 30 some entries I wrote, most are placeholders… snippets of thought recorded to meet a quota.
I want to improve that, so I’ve decided to continue writing everyday for another month, but I won’t be blogging as much.
Still, I have a feeling that additional blogging challenges may be in my future.
And another interesting travel tip... apparently you can get a private accessible van at many of the tourist sites complete with a personal tour guide. We took advantage of this yesterday at Arlington and it saved a lot of time, uphill pushing, and effort. I also recommend going at sunset. The views are spectacular!
All and all, it's nice to discover a second city. But Chicago is still home.
]]>I don't think that these groups should remain entirely separate from each other, but I don't think the lines between them should be entirely erased either.
At the same time, I have to admit that I'm fascinated at how Facebook is connecting me to folks I'd likely lose touch with otherwise. I'm so interested in watching how it works that it's hard to back away.
I suppose it's true that with social media you're either in or you're out. But very few people seem to really think about what that means. It's all the more reason to manage your online presence closely.
]]>Up until this point I thought the Mall did that job pretty well. But our monuments only have meaning if you have a context for them.
I'm spending the weekend with a good friend who is not American, and although she appreciates the landmarks and monuments because they are striking, she didn't grow up looking at them or learning the history behind them. At first, she didn't readily recognize the White House.
Why would she?
]]>We were just discussing ways to make the corporate apartment where my friends and I are staying more accessible.
"The could buy a bath bench for the tub," I suggested.
"Hell, all you really need is a 2X4," T responded.
We might be on to something here. :)
Happy Thanksgiving! Have a wonderful and peaceful holiday.
]]>"Sure. Sounds good to me."
"If that doesn't work out, we can just kick back and have a nice dinner at the airport," she continued. "Although I'm not sure that's possible. I was watching this news report about health inspectors finding some pretty nasty food situations at the airport."
So with that, we're off! I've heard tell that pumpkin pie and whipped cream await us upon arrival. Promises like that give me hope that all is not lost on the food front. Considering where we're starting out, it can only go up from here!
]]>“Be sure to take your Allen wrench with you when you leave tomorrow,” Chris said. “You should be okay, but this is a really bad design. Your Invacare chair is better, and I have more work to do on this Quickie when you get home.”
“Thank you,” I said. “This means a lot to me.”
“I know. You broke for a minute when that wheel did. But not for long.”
That’s because I have friends who understand me.
What a wonderful thing to be thankful for.
There is dry cleaning to take in, stuff to buy, trash to take out… it’s madness.
I look forward to the moment when I arrive at the airport, and it’s all out of my hands. By that point, all I have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.
For now I still need to pack. All I really want to do is watch episodes of The West Wing. Huh. Perhaps that counts as trip prep too? After all, I’m going to DC.
He makes a cameo appearance in every Spider-Man movie, so you might recognize him. I always keep an eye out for him myself. When I spotted him in Spider-Man 2, I tugged excitedly on my friend Dave’s sleeve.
“Stan Lee! Stan Lee!” I said.
Dave glanced at me, perplexed.
“No. I’m Dave,” he said.
I rolled my eyes and helped myself to Dave's popcorn in mildly exasperated retaliation.
When I met Stan Lee, he was a washed-up has-been. The big movie studios hadn’t given him the million-dollar nod yet. Still, there was something innately cool about him. Sure. He’s comic book geek. But I was impressed with his slicked-back hair, leather jacket, and tinted glasses.
Most of all I remember what he told me.
“All of my heroes have disabilities to overcome,” he said matter-of-factly. “Their weakness is their power.”
True. And I believe there is something to that concept. It makes for a good story.
However, in real life, I can’t help but look strangely at someone who applauds me for getting up in the morning or for wheeling down the street.
It’s not heroic to do these things. It’s just life.
]]>I’ve even been known to ride up to eventually go down. It’s a sure-fire way to get a ride. And sometimes it’s so cramped once I finally squeeze in that I can’t turn around and face the elevator doors like everyone else. So there I sit, face-to-face with the other people in the car.
It’s awkward. But usually all I have to do is smile at the person I’m looking at to strike up a conversation. Funny how simple it can be to break down peoples’ barriers. Sometimes I think people with disabilities are better at breaking down barriers than others just because we stand out.
]]>I like seeing the parade floats myself but prefer to avoid the body-crushing crowd and crazy drivers. Strollers are hard to compete with on the sidewalk too, and sometimes I can only see as far as the rear end of the person standing in front of me when the parade marches by.
So the best way to see the floats up-close is to swing by the holding area on Oak Street. From what I recall, parade folks start lining up there at about 4:30 p.m. You can usually stroll through and see everything without having to endure the madness of the crowd. And it’s a great way to kick-off the holidays!
]]>I was on the receiving end of what to me is an extremely odd assumption.
I do understand why heads turn in my direction and folks want my opinion when disability related subjects come up. I can certainly offer some perspective based on my own experience.
But I’d never claim to be an expert on disability in general. There are certain aspects of it I know nothing about.
There’s diversity within groups of people, and I find it ironic that in lumping people together and making assumptions about them, we often stereotype when trying to diversify.
]]>Ironically, that’s because I have too much to say at the moment and don’t know where to begin. It’s been a wonderful rollercoaster of a day, chalked full of new ideas and thought provoking conversations. As a result, my mind is buzzing, but none of my thoughts are fully formed enough to write about. It’s easier to talk about things than write about them. Writing takes more planning and commitment.
If I’m learning anything from this exercise, it’s that there is value in getting in the habit of writing everyday. Perhaps a few frivolous entries will help me push through my writers’ block and hone my voice?
Now he has won, and I’ve seen signs of that initial strategy all over the place. It’s encouraging.
I’m particularly impressed that the Obama team is keeping up with its Internet-based communications. Change.gov, for example, was up and running in record time. And today, I got a thoughtful e-mail surveying me on how I was involved with the campaign and how I’d like to continue to volunteer during Obama’s presidency.
I know that there has also been some talk about how the online communities that sprung up during the campaign should evolve. Should they be housed by the DNC? The White House? However it shakes down, all indications show that Obama has a genuine interest and ability to mobilize and empower people. It’s refreshing.